Pages

Friday, November 22, 2013

Talking Turkey with Judy Davis || KEY TO LOVE || UP ON THE ROOF AND OTHER STORIES

Judy Davis is hosting a free
drawing for a autographed print copy of Key to Love from those who
comment.

When architect Elise Springer’s father is injured, she
immediately leaves San Francisco
to care for him. The last person she expects to encounter in her Pennsylvania hometown is
her childhood friend Lucas Fisher. Lucas is investigating his brother’s death,
and Elise can’t resist trying to help.

Lucas longs for the close family ties he never had. He’s
back in Scranton
to set up a classic car restoration business and build a future. The torch he
carries for Elise burns brighter than ever, but before he can declare his love,
he must obtain the legal rights to adopt his nephew—and prove his brother’s
death was no accident.

As they unearth clues to find the murderer and a missing
stash of money, Elise faces a dilemma. Is her career on the Weat Coast
the key to her happiness, or is it an animal-cracker-eating four-year-old and
his handsome uncle instead?

Talking Turkey. . .

WHAT
I AM THANKFUL FOR AS A WRITER

by Judy Ann Davis

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday
of the year. It’s a special day when we don’t have to go into a meltdown mode
chasing down the perfect gifts for everyone on our Christmas list. The real
gift is simply being able to gather family and friends together to eat, talk, share
stories, and enjoy all those tempting dishes—like to-die-for corn bread
stuffing, Aunt Jane’s pecan and pumpkin pies with mounds of whipped cream, and
the ever-famous turkey baked to a golden brown in the oven or a deep fryer.
It’s also a time when I think about why I’m thankful as a writer. Here are my
top five:

I’m thankful to be able to be born in a country where I am
able to create and write freely without fears of censorship or retribution. I’m
thankful for all our service people—the military, rescue squads, firemen,
police and many, many more whose occupations are to protect our freedoms and
who are dedicated to keeping us safe. We are, indeed, land of the free because
of the brave.

I’m
thankful for all the fans who purchase our novels and those who make each day
just a bit brighter by dropping an email or note in praise of our work. It
gives me and other authors a reason to push forward and pursue our dreams.

I’m thankful for my spouse, my children, neighbors,
friends, family, fellow writers, beta readers, and reviewers who act as
sounding boards and who understand the writer’s craziness and the driving need
to escape to a favorite spot and put ideas on a blank white screen.

I am
thankful for the editors, publishers, artists, and marketing, production and
support personnel who take our lumpy claylike creation of words and help us
sculpt those words into a smooth, finished work of art called a novel.

I am thankful for all the sights, sounds, smells and tastes around
us—like bright sunny days, scarlet sunsets, serene snowfalls, gentle rain, the
smell of pine-tinged air, the warble of a song sparrow, the chirping of a
cricket, the taste of summer’s first strawberries—and all the wondrous gifts our
Heavenly Creator gives us each day to help us to be inspired.

Happy Thanksgiving from my home to
yours!

EXCERPT:

The first thought crossing Lucas’s mind was
that a blue tornado had swooped down without warning.

Elise Springer
barreled through the office door, crossed the distance between them and slammed
her fist on the metal desk so hard two pencils did simultaneous jumping jacks
before hitting the concrete at her feet.

“You liar!” she
shouted. Vicious claws, still splendidly colored a brilliant red, reached out,
clutching the front of his shirt and jerking him by the throat.

“Having a bad
morning?” Lucas asked quietly, thankful he never made it a habit to fasten the
top button. “Maybe I should make a pot of coffee?”

“You set me up,
you detestable jerk!” Her hand still held fast even when his came up to cover
it. “You never told me about the seventy-five thousand dollars Mike gave you.”

He pried her
fingers loose, and she stepped back, slicing the air with the edge of her palm.
“I trusted you, you lowly worm. I went in there on your behalf!” Both hands
flew to her temples, massaging her forehead. She stomped to the window and back
again twice. “God, what a fool I am.”

“It’s not what
it appears, Liz.” Lucas sat down, leaned back in a chair beside the desk, and
hoped Fritz had not lied and this was just one of her twenty-four hour bouts of
raving insanity. “Maybe you ought to sit down, and I’ll explain.”

“You can start
spouting an explanation right now, pal, and I don’t need to sit to hear your
gibberish!”

If her eyes
could throw darts, he’d be dead man for sure, Lucas decided. He mustered some
courage. “If I had told you Mike gave me money from his personal funds to
invest for him, you would have gone into the meeting with Pedmo and tried to
second guess her, just to defend me. I couldn’t take the chance. You got the
kid, right?”

Judy Ann Davis began her career in writing as a copy and
continuity writer for radio and television in Scranton, PA.
She holds a degree in Journalism and Communications from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA.

Over a dozen of her short stories have appeared in various
literary and small magazines, and anthologies. Up on the Roof and Other Short Stories, a collection of nineteen
short stories, was published this month by Whiskey Creek Press.

Her first novel, RED FOX WOMAN, published in 2010, is a western,
mystery, and romance and was a finalist in the International Book Awards and
USA Book News Best Book Awards.

When Judy Ann is not behind her computer, you can find her
looking for anything humorous to make her laugh or swinging a golf club where
the chuckles are few. She is a member of Pennwriters, Inc. and lives with her
husband in Clearfield, PA.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday also, though I try to be grateful every day. That's hard when the nasty reviewers show up, but even then, if I weren't published, I wouldn't have the comments. So, bottom line - grateful!

Barbara and Ashantay--Thanks for the comments. I'm grateful each day that we have the opportunity to live in America. My husband and son are part of four generations who have served or are serving in the military to protect us and the freedoms we enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving to you both!